Immunogenicity of FDA DTP versus WHO DTP

M Khalil1, Y Al-Mazrou, M Al-Howasi

  • 1STAT Advisory Medical Center for Research Development, Cairo, Egypt, and Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Annals of Saudi Medicine
|February 6, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Saudi infants showed higher tetanus and diphtheria antibody levels with the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP) vaccine compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) DTP vaccine. Both DTP formulas demonstrated good immunogenicity.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Immunology
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Investigating the immunogenicity of Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP) vaccines in infants.
  • Comparing World Health Organization (WHO) DTP and Federal Drug Administration (FDA) DTP formulations.
  • Assessing vaccine response in six-week-old Saudi infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate and compare the immunogenicity of three doses of WHO DTP and FDA DTP formulas in Saudi infants.
  • To analyze antibody levels for diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus after vaccination.
  • To identify potential interactions between DTP vaccines and Haemophilus influenzae type b (HbOC) vaccine.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized trial involving six-week-old infants receiving three doses of vaccines.
  • Groups received either WHO DTP or FDA DTP, combined with HbOC, or a control group.
  • Antibody levels (PRP, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) were measured post-vaccination.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in anti-PRP antibody levels between FDA DTP and WHO DTP groups.
  • Significantly higher anti-tetanus and anti-diphtheria antibody levels in the FDA DTP group compared to the WHO DTP group.
  • No adverse interactions observed between DTP vaccines and other vaccines after the third dose.

Conclusions:

  • The FDA DTP formula demonstrates superior antigenicity for diphtheria and tetanus compared to the WHO DTP formula, despite lower antigen concentration.
  • Both DTP formulations are immunogenic in Saudi infants.
  • Re-evaluation of potency assay methods for DTP vaccines is recommended.
Abstract